Beautiful Words
by infinite vertigo
Summary: AU Sasori doesn't speak. He only speaks to Deidara in private and in the presence of other people, they communicate through Sasori's sketchbook and his art. But sometimes, a drawing just doesn't suffice. DeiSaso / SasoDei


_.__**disclaimer**__: don't own._

_.__**title**__: beautiful words._

_.__**genre**__: romance, general._

_.__**pairings**__: deisaso / sasodei._

_.__**word count**__: 2,001._

_.summary: AU Sasori doesn't speak. He only speaks to Deidara in private and in the presence of other people, they communicate through Sasori's sketchbook. But sometimes, a drawing just doesn't suffice. DeiSaso_

**.beautiful words.**

"Sasori no danna!"

The redhead looked up and he smiled, seeing his best friend walk over and sit down, joining him in being the only two people in the classroom. Sasori didn't particularly like people nor their presence, a mild form of social anxiety disorder, he had described to Deidara once. He preferred not to speak in situations until absolutely necessary and Deidara happened to be, quite literally, the only person he found himself comfortable speaking to. The blonde was rather proud of that, something he kept to himself.

"You ready for the test today?" Deidara asked and Sasori chuckled lightly, saying a 'yes.' Deidara just grinned and as he began talking about how they'd get the two highest scores in class again today, another student walked in. He noticed Sasori tense up and the relaxed expression was gone. Instantly, he pulled out a sketchpad and Deidara couldn't help but smile sadly, watching the redhead begin to sketch something.

Whenever someone was around, Sasori stopped speaking; Deidara couldn't even remember the last time Sasori had spoken to someone. If he had to, he would write it down on his sketchpad and navigate his way through the city that way. Deidara didn't understand why but he didn't think to question it; Sasori was Sasori, and he could talk and that was all that mattered.

"Eh?" Deidara blinked, seeing a picture of the clock (time was ten minutes after school) and a large willow tree, recognizing it as the one in the park they used to play at when they were younger, "Meet at the willow tree ten minutes after school?"

Sasori nodded.

"Yeah, sure," Deidara grinned and Sasori smiled softly back, "I won't keep you waiting and you won't keep me waiting, yeah?"

Sasori drew a smiley face.

-x-

When he didn't have class with Deidara, high school was pretty miserable for Sasori. He would keep his head bowed and avoid eye contact, managing to get through most conversations by nodding or pointing. But to those who insisted, absolutely insisted, on talking to him, he would take out his sketchpad and write something. People knew of this oddity about him but some people thought they could get him to talk and he scoffed at that. If Deidara still couldn't get him to talk to other people, no one could.

Luckily for him, he had five out of his eight classes with Deidara and he was in history with about fifteen minutes left before lunch, where he would see Deidara again and for the rest of the day.

He had met Deidara just a few years ago, in seventh grade. Sasori had always been quiet but it wasn't until about fourth grade that he became silent and began drawing to replace talking. His teachers soon gave up trying to correct his habit because they knew he could talk if he wanted and he was a bright boy. But then in seventh grade, a transfer student came and the first thing he did was walk up to Sasori during lunch and introduce himself as Iwa Deidara. He didn't seem perturbed by the fact that Sasori didn't talk or get annoyed; he just sat with him every day. Eventually Sasori found it comfortable to communicate him and after about a year he began speaking only when others weren't around. Deidara acted completely normal when he first said "you're an idiot" but his grin was wider for that entire day.

They had been best friends for six years now, currently seniors in high school. Sasori still didn't speak in public but he began speaking more in private and when he was with others, if he was with Deidara, he didn't feel as anxious; he didn't want to immediately recoil and found he could handle society for a bit.

Today, six years after meeting, he was going to confess to the blonde; the worst that would happen would be that he would lose the only person he talked to and that was in private anyway. He wanted to thank him for helping him; he knew that speaking in public was something that was nearly essential and while he wasn't there yet, he was getting there and it was all because of his help.

"Danna, hey!"

Looking up, Sasori smirked to see Deidara sit down beside him with a tray with two slices of pizza and three cans of soda. The redhead just raised an eyebrow as he gestured to his salad and water bottle and Deidara rolled his eyes. "You eat like a rabbit, danna, yeah."

Deidara's speech impediment was something Sasori found quite ironic; his impediment caused him to speak more than he should and Sasori didn't speak at all. Irony at its finest.

Sasori picked up his pencil and Deidara opened his first can of soda and watched his best friend sketch something; Sasori really was a talented artist. Deidara himself was into sculpting and Sasori spent most of his time making puppets, but he was excellent at sketching and painting, probably because of all these years of drawing. When he finished, he tapped it and Deidara leaned over to see a rabbit, a not equal sign, and a quick chibi version of him. He grinned. "You are a rabbit, danna."

Sasori tapped his drawing.

"Well, not the fucking part, I suppose."

Sasori drew a very large and exasperated expression.

The blonde just laughed and picked up a slice of pizza and began eating it, glancing across the cafeteria to wave at his other friends. Sasori used to always ask him if he'd rather sit with them but Deidara would always shake his head and say it was refreshing to be the only one talking for once. At this point Sasori had given up; he figured Deidara knew he could join them if he wanted to.

_Thank you for your friendship,_ he thought glancing at him and smiling slightly, _You've done more for me than you know._

-x-

There were a few people milling around in the park and that made Sasori nervous. He was used to seeing the people at school so he only felt slightly anxious; but around strangers it was worse. He just sat on the bench next to the willow tree and bowed his head, clutching his sketchbook tightly and hoped no one would talk to him, at least not before Deidara arrived. He glanced at his watch and saw that it there was a minute before the blonde would arrive and he sighed, trying to calm his nerves.

He had spend days trying to figure out how to tell him. He could have done it at home, in private, where speaking was no problem, but he didn't want to; being at home was his safety zone and he didn't want this to be "safe." This was a risk, the ultimate risk, and he wanted to push himself, prove that he could and would for Deidara. Being outside in general was a push and so at first Sasori spend nights wondering how to express it through drawings, practicing sketches, but none of them felt right; a picture spoke a thousand words but he couldn't convey his feelings in a picture. He couldn't speak; he couldn't physically tell Deidara everything. Even the idea of saying those words, a simple "I've fallen in love with you" was hard. Six words seemed deathly terrifying to him and he wasn't sure if his rusty voice would be able to handle it.

"Hey danna!"

Sasori checked his watch. Exactly on time.

Deidara sat down on the bench next to him and dropped his backpack on the ground, looping one of the straps around his foot, something Sasori told him to do in case someone decided to try to steal it. Deidara had scoffed, saying who would steal a backpack with a chemistry textbook in it, but obliged, realizing that Sasori had a point. He brought a hand up to brush his fringe (Sasori noticed he was slightly flushed, probably from running here to not keep Sasori waiting because although he didn't speak, Sasori could still be terrifying), and grinned at him. "What'd you want to tell me?"

The redhead looked down at his sketchbook. In any usual moment, he would have opened it and began sketching, but he was determined to speak, to say those six words even if they came out stilted and awkward in a voice that hadn't been heard by the outside world in so long. He still heard people walking around, mothers with children, a softball game going on behind them, couples walking dogs, joggers; there were so many people in the park, a scenario in which Sasori would usually never speak. But this wasn't a normal scenario.

With a sudden rush of adamancy, he looked up and felt his heart pound in his chest; Deidara just frowned and glanced at his sketchbook questioningly, silently asking 'why?' He could tell Deidara wasn't expecting this; he wasn't even fathoming the possibility of Sasori speaking in public after six years; it took him a whole year to speak in complete privacy.

He opened his mouth and tried to push the air through his throat but nothing came out and he closed his mouth, swallowing. Deidara seemed to be getting frantic and he sat up straighter, putting a hand on Sasori's sketchbook. "O-oi, danna, what're you doing? Draw, yeah? Don't push yourself; you really don't have to."

Sasori shook his head fiercely, his red hair whipping back and forth and Deidara faltered, looking torn as Sasori looked up again, eyes narrowed. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth again after swallowing, trying to work up his courage.

"I…" it came out as a croak and it surprised both of them. Sasori faltered but Deidara just leaned forward, eyes wide, silently encouraging him. To see the blonde so genuine motivated Sasori; he wanted to make him smile and Deidara looked so hopeful, he didn't want to crush him. He swallowed again and opened his mouth.

"I'm in love with you."

It came out smooth and clear and Sasori couldn't believe he said it; Deidara had heard it and Sasori wasn't sure if he looked shocked from the confession or because Sasori said it. But he felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his chest and he smiled softly, looking at him, repeating it again, loving the way that it sounded, how easily it flowed from his lips.

"Danna…"

"I'm in love with you," he repeated, closing his eyes and letting his smile widen. He was so scared that it wouldn't come out right, that his voice would be rusty after all these years of hardly using it. But it came out in a clear voice, strong and smooth and he couldn't stop smiling at that. He never thought he would speak in public, much less say something so difficult for even people who talked all the time to say.

"Danna…"

And then Deidara leaned over and kissed him, putting both of his hands on Sasori's face. Caught off guard, Sasori hesitated, his eyes widening momentarily, feeling his heart freeze for the slightest of moments. But then he realized what was happening and he relaxed and kissed back, his hands clutching his sketchbook tighter than ever; he hardly dared to breathe, wondering if this feeling of Deidara's lips on his was a dream. Deidara tasted oddly of mint, and Sasori suddenly remembered that he chewed gum when he was bored and he couldn't help but smile as he broke the kiss and pulled back, both of them slightly out of breath.

"You don't speak much…" Deidara said quietly, his blue eyes holding the gaze of Sasori's brown ones evenly, and then his smile widened, "but when you do, you speak such beautiful words, danna."

_**.author's notes: this was supposed to be a short 200 word drabble but it was so cute i couldn't resist but go all out, haha. still quite short compared to what i usually spin, but i hope you enjoyed it!.**_


End file.
